By: Andrew Lu

So, it was a nice day, and I had everything planned for the remaining days until winter break. Then, while in the band, our band director asked me, or basically signed up to audition for the Regional Jazz Band.

Regional jazz band consists of all types of saxophones, almost all the brass, and a lot of percussions. I’m a bassoon player in the band, which is as known as the most “un-jazzy” instrument possible.

But, I’m also a piano player… or should I say keyboard player in this case. So, the band director told me to try out for the regional jazz band. I took this as another opportunity to get into another regional band, just like the regular regional band I made last semester.

I got notified and received the music before winter break, which was in the middle of December. If you know me, you’ll know that the music will probably be sitting in one of the dressers at home, completely untouched until two days before the audition. Of course, I promised the band director I’d be going, so I had to practice.

And just like every other band assignment or audition that I’d completely forget about, this one meant I put in five very long hours of work on both days before the audition. Thankfully, I felt as fit as a fiddle with my music when I went to regional auditions.

So it was a normal school day until 5th period, and we had to board the flat vans to get out to the small city for the regional auditions, which were 2 hours away. The car ride was awful, with foul-smelling Justin, the way too overconfident Patrick, and the very annoying Samuel. Once we got there, we went to eat at a buffet, which I personally didn’t care about, since I had a stomach ache at that time.

After Brinlee and Kenzie ate the entire gummy bear tub at the buffet, we quickly drove to the Middle school in silence. The atmosphere was suddenly chilled, and everyone got ready for the main thing, playing their instrument.

We checked in, and everyone got ready and warmed up on their instruments finally, the administrators called us in for the opening “ceremony”. They announced that the piano/keyboard players would be first in the percussion room, and all the other instruments would begin their auditions.

Patrick and I, the keyboardists of the school, went along and waited in front of the band room of the middle school, where all the percussion auditions were hosted. At 5:30 P.M. in the afternoon, they welcomed us into the room.

The band hall was decently sized, and immediately, I noticed the green curtains, where behind the judge(s) sat. In order to make it fair, the judges can’t see you, and you can’t see the judges.

I was the fourth keyboardist, so I waited for the first three to play. After hearing them, I knew that I can easily make it, assuming I didn’t screw up. When it was my turn, I swiftly walked onto the podium, checked the bench height, and warmed up my fingers before playing the first song.

The song was very jazzy, a rhythmic maze, and it was a harmony part, so it was hard to master unless you practiced 5 hours for the past two days. It was a sweep, and I was able to easily pass that song with completely no flaws.

And after the other pianists finished, I went up to the podium for the second song, a slow, jazzy melody that I played decently. It was close, and I thought me and Patrick basically tied in both rounds. But, he did try to improvise a few things and later did I know that it cost him the spot.

By 6:00 P.M. we were finished, and in the cafeteria, waiting for the results while drummer flexed their skills on the drum set. Very soon after, the results for piano were out, and I was the first chair, the only chair. I’d be going to the regional jazz band in April.

While I was griddy-ing and doing the Usain Bolt pose in the cafeteria, the other auditions were going on, and now, I had to help my friend Brinlee emotionally get ready for his electric Bass auditions.

Patrick was sulking in the corner of our table, and Brinlee was teaching me how to hold a Bass guitar. Later, Madi and Samuel finished their Trombone auditions, while Luke and Harper finished their Saxophone auditions. Brinlee and Justin just started Bass, when Matthew and Kenzie finished Trumpet auditions.

We waited and waited, and finally, at 8:00 P.M. the results were out. We eagerly went and checked the bulletin board and discovered that nobody besides me made the cuts.

Everybody was sad since a lot of them were very very close. But for us, another treat was waiting, and that was Bu-cee’s! Except, I did have a stomach ache, and I couldn’t each a single drop of food…